Recent progressive use of atomic force microscopy in biomedical applications

In recent years, a great deal of interest has been focused on the development of novel atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based methods. From first being an unstable method, AFM has emerged as the perfect tool for the study of phenomena at the nanoscale, which includes quantitative single molecule studies. Numerous novel AFM methods play a crucial role in the invention of novel drugs, their delivery systems, based on either polymers or inorganic/metallic matrices, and in the examination of disease-related tissue changes. Such contemporary progressive studies are a perfect example of interdisciplinary research, which results in exemplary findings and discoveries. This review focuses especially on the literature published in the last decade; however the most important earlier discoveries are also included.